Kelly O | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/profile/kelly-o
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Sightseeing Seattle: a city with more than coffee at its corehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/may/25/sightseeing-seattle-us-city-coffee
Visiting Seattle isn't just about grabbing a skinny latte, it offers scenic day trips out, and if you can't leave the city then its bars, restaurants and shops will keep you happy – rain or shine<p>There are some popular misconceptions about Seattle – like the notion that it rains <em>all the time</em>. It is, in fact, raining as I type this. Am I going to stick a fork in my eye? Or jump off a bridge? Hell no! Seattle's best-kept secret is that it's usually a sunshiny 80F (27C) in the summer. It's cloudy and might rain? Yawn. Rain is easy. We don't even use umbrellas, because it's too difficult to carry a coffee and eat a&nbsp;sandwich walking with an umbrella.</p><p>And coffee – our drug of choice – really is the most important thing you're ever carrying. Find the small dealers. The three Vs of coffee shops are: <a href="http://espressovivace.com/" title=""><strong>Vivace</strong></a>, <a href="http://www.caffevita.com/" title=""><strong>Vita</strong></a>, and <a href="http://victrolacoffee.com/" title=""><strong>Victrola</strong></a>. These similarly named coffee houses are equally excellent roasters, with casual atmospheres. Any one of them is a perfect place to get a fix. Skip the original Starbucks in the Pike Place Market. Pike Place is miserable when crowded – it's only great on a week night, minutes before closing, when locals haggle for flowers and fish. At dusk, you may also run into Princess Angeline, daughter of Chief Si'ahl, aka Chief Seattle – one of several old souls that people claim to see wandering around the 100-year-old market after the sun drops behind the Olympic mountains.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/may/25/sightseeing-seattle-us-city-coffee">Continue reading...</a>SeattleShopping tripsFood and drinkBars and clubsCity breaksCultural tripsRoad tripsWashington stateUnited StatesNorth and Central AmericaTravelAmerican food and drinkFri, 24 May 2013 23:10:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/may/25/sightseeing-seattle-us-city-coffeeAlamyThe Seattle skyline at sunset. Photograph: AlamyAlamyThe Seattle skyline at sunset. Photograph: AlamyKelly O2013-05-24T23:10:00Z